ACB raids TSRERA secretary’s properties, illegal assets found

The secretary of the Telangana State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TSRERA) and former HMDA director (planning), S. Balakrishna, who amassed illegal assets running into hundreds of crores, is allegedly a benami of a high-profile political leader in the state. Officials have unearthed illegal properties worth `100 crore in raids, which are still underway across several properties. 

ACB officials, who kept a close vigil on Balakrishna's financial transactions, conducted searches on his palatial villa, located at Puppalaguda in Manikonda and 14 other places of his relatives and close associates for allegedly amassing illegal assets by misusing his powers. In his current status, he decided on giving permissions to real estate ventures in the city.

A team of ACB officials knocked on his villa’s door in Puppalaguda around 8 am on Wednesday and conducted searches. Around 35 inspectors and four DSP rank police officers were also part of the search operations. "More than 25 mobile phones, including ten iPhones, laptops, gold, `80 lakh cash, jewellery and cash counting machines were found at his residence. We will also continue the search operation on Thursday," ACB officials said.

The accused officer allegedly purchased properties in Kalwakurthy, Hyderabad and other places. Bundles of registration documents were found inside his residence. Reportedly, he possessed two flats of Aditya Group, which also had constructed his palatial villa in lieu of official favours from Balakrishna.

Hyderabad: The secretary of Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TSRERA), S. Balakrishna, whose properties were raided by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials on Wednesday, allegedly favoured builders, developers and individuals. The allegations include changing land use (CLU) orders, layout permissions and granting



building permissions.

Balakrishna, who earlier held key posts in MA&UD department, is also the present director (planning) of HMRL. He has been the longest serving MA&UD director stretching beyond five years. Balakrishna used to stay at Jamia Osmania before shifting to a palatial villa in Puppalaguda. Eight villas built in the buffer zone of Katwa Cheruvu, Mallampet, and running of commercial establishments in residential areas located in Kollur are among several instances where norms were flouted when Balakrishna was holding key posts in MA&UD. Incidentally, following the ACB raids, some HMDA (of which Balakrisna was a director earlier) left office early on Wednesday and switched off their mobiles. Meanwhile, some employees of the commissioner and director of municipal administration (CDMA) and GHMC are also tense, fearing that their names could be dragged in because they had cleared some files. 

As per norms, while granting layout permissions, a series of factors should be taken into account, including buffer zone, area marked for amenities and land ownership, among others. Similarly, CLU orders should be issued only after a thorough scrutiny and the director is not the final authority to issue the CLU order. After the conversion charges are paid by the applicant, the same is sent to the government with payment details for issue of CLU orders. 

Pertaining to high-rise buildings, traffic assessment is one of the priorities while granting permissions. Before an application is sent to the state government, the onus of the scrutiny, site inspection and clearance of the committee at the secretariat level lies with MA&UD officials. However, it has not been proved whether Balakrishna had flouted all norms. Only a detailed probe will establish such frauds.